Matthew 5: Teaching about Anger
21 “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ 22 But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court.
Today, insults are common; however, things were different in Jesus’ day. Insulting someone could land you in court. An AI search reveals the following: In biblical times, calling someone a fool could indeed have serious consequences, including legal repercussions. This is particularly highlighted in Matthew 5:22, where Jesus warns that calling someone a “fool” can lead to being taken to court and facing judgment. This reflects the cultural and legal context of the time, where insults were seen as serious offenses that could escalate to legal action.
Context of the Term Fool
- Moral Implications: The term “fool” in biblical texts often denotes not just a lack of intelligence but a moral or spiritual deficiency, making it a significant insult.
- Spiritual Liability: Calling someone a fool can create spiritual liability for the speaker, as it attempts to dehumanize the other person and dismiss them from God’s grace.
Legal and Social Consequences
- Judgment and Court: The admonition in Matthew 5:22 indicates that such insults could lead to trials, emphasizing the seriousness of the act.
- Cultural Norms: Insults were not taken lightly, and the community often held individuals accountable for their words, reflecting the importance of maintaining social harmony.
And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.
What about cursing someone else? Cursing was viewed as speaking harm or degradation over another person, which was considered sinful (James 3:9-10). The Bible also condemns practices like sorcery, definitely involved invoking curses on others.
Deuteronomy 18:9-12 tells us, “9 When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. 10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, 11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you. 13 You must be blameless before the Lord your God.”
So far, the crowd is with Jesus for he’s reminding them of things they already know. But now Jesus becomes revolutionary, for he shifts from condemning acts of anger to condemning thoughts of anger.
23 “So, if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, 24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.”
Note the fault here is that of the person who is about to offer a sacrifice to God but who suddenly realizes that he/she has offended someone else. The would-be worshiper must first repent and reconcile with the offended person before that act of worship will be worth anything. Remember that God knows hearts and God knows if someone is coming to Him dragging sins of offense behind them. No sacrifice will be sufficient to give someone a free pass to avoid reconciliation.
What doesn’t this verse mean? This verse does not refer to insults you feel you have suffered from someone else. I was once in a service where someone came up to me demanding I should apologize to them for a slight I had never intended and did not remember. Their purpose? They wanted their heart to be clean, so they wanted me to confess so they could then forgive me and then take communion.
That’s not how this process works. First of all, if this individual felt I had offended them, they should have tried to meet with me privately and tell me. Chances are excellent that I had blundered and had had no intention of hurting them. I could then have apologized and the matter would have been settled. Second, you can’t wait until you are in the middle of a worship service and then demand an apology; resolution might involve a longer process and the situation must be fully resolved before either party will be fit to worship.
But what if the offense is so long-standing that the injured party has died? At that point, we must pray and ask God to show us how we can reconcile with surviving family members. Never assume that the memory of an offense dies with the injured party, for other friends and family may be fully aware of the offense. This is also why we should reconcile as quickly as possible. Offenses that are not brought into the light of forgiveness don’t diminish, but fester, creating spiritual abscesses. Only when we seek God’s help and apologize are things made right. And Jesus continues to give us more reasons to reconcile swiftly.
25 “When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 And if that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny.” The mere fact that we think we are righteous does not guarantee righteousness. Here Jesus is speaking of all kinds of debts, whether financial or moral ones. You can almost see Jesus grinning at the crowd as he reminds them that they surely won’t be free until they have paid the last penny.
The meme at the beginning of this devotional says, “He who angers you, controls you.” That could be expanded to read, “Whatever angers you, controls you.” Later, in Ephesians 4:26-27, Paul will write “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.”
The longer we remain angry with someone or something, the more chance Satan has to work in our hearts, multiplying resentment and hatred. Luke 6:37-38 tells us, 37 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”
This principle could be re-stated as “What goes around, comes around.” If we give our anger, we can expect others will attack us. When we give out peace and reconciliation, others will generally respond in kind. Of course, there are exceptions, and terrorist attacks are notable exceptions. But we are not responsible for the reactions of others; we are responsible for our own actions.
When we allow anger to control us, we are allowing Satan to lead us by the nose. When we reconcile swiftly and peacefully, we are allowing God to guide us. The choice is simple: anger will destroy us, but peace heals and refreshes. The choice is yours. Choose wisely.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to forgive others quickly and confess our sins and reconcile swiftly also. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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